"For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."
If I can find just ten reasons to Bless the Lord each day I will have ten thousand in less than three years.
Challenge extended.

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

791. A bed beside my beautiful girl.
792. The privilege of lying here listening to the nighttime noises of Helen House.
793. Waking night staff.
794. Round the clock care for children, siblings, parents and friends.
795. Impromptu discos.
796. All-embracing love.
797. A small boy, reading his friend a bedtime story.
798. That same small boy leaping off the bed and running away before his friend could insist on a goodnight kiss.
799. "It's ok, I've had Jedi Knight Training" from a small boy before launching himself into death defying acrobatic stunts.
800. Egg mayonnaise rolls.

Monday, 28 January 2013

771. Silence.
772. Friendships.
773. Beauty in brokenness.
774. God's perfect timing.
775. Helen House staff.
776. The resilience of small children.
777. The words with which to answer the question "am I going to die soon too?"
778. Touch.
779. A ten year old's song. Even if not perfectly timed.
780. Sleep.

731. Early morning snuggles with a sweet-breathed seven year old.
732. Maintenance men fixing drips.
733. Watching lives change for the better.
734. Remembering to drink the coffee and finding it just exactly the right temperature.
735. Hazelnuts.
736. Coffee mugs exactly the right shape to warm both hands at once.
737. Seizures which stop before the meds are needed.
738. Sweet smiles from a sleepy ten year old.
739. School transport.
740. Green shoots pushing through the last of the snow.
Tia

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

711. Lifegroup.
712. The power of prayer.
713. The book of Job.
714. The ability to discuss differences of opinion in love and grace.
715. The freedom to believe different things.
716. The theology of plate tectonics and a new way of seeing God in action.
717. Potato skins.
718. The bigger God gets, the more we get to know Him.
719. The utter goodness of God.
720. The amazing fluffiness of the Norwegian Forest Cat.

Saturday, 19 January 2013

681. Manners.
682. Hot buttery waffles.
683. Solid walls.
684. The NHS.
685. A Father who welcomes all the little children who come home early to Him.
685. Comfort for those who mourn.
686. Caramel fudge chip cookies.
687. Cuddling down to read books together.
688. He sets the lonely in families.
689. Freedom to grow down, in order to grow up.
690. Kindness.

Sunday, 13 January 2013

621. Today, for the first time in a very long time, when I told my daughter I was proud of her and that she had done really well, she didn't cry or shout or throw a tantrum, she didn't order me not to say that, she just smiled and took the compliment.
622. And she shared the biscuits with her friend.
623. And let other children choose the television programmes.
624. And decided the chicken was a little too spicy but just told me nicely rather than screeching and weeping.
625. For another child who got the giggles.
626. For blended chocolate biscuits as a sneaky morning snack.
627. For safe journeys home for visiting friends.
628. Warm slippers and the ability to stay inside all day.
629. Cuddles with a finally feeling better little visitor.
630. An unexpectedly sociable cat.

Friday, 11 January 2013

601. Baked potato soup.
602. Friends to share it with.
603. A day with only social phone calls.
604. A battle fought and won; a child now accepting her ability to do something independently.
605. Late Christmas presents.
606. Blended raspberries.
607. Two hours on the phone with Friend.
608. Future possibilities.
609. A girl in a Minnie Mouse hair band.
610. Another girl laughing at a light up Winnie the Pooh.

Tuesday, 8 January 2013

571. I am loved.
572. Precious in His sight.
573. Worthy.
574. Purified.
575. Part of a bigger family than I can ever imagine.
586. Playing my part in a bigger picture than I can ever dream about.
577. Good enough. And more than good enough. Even when I'm not.
578. Counted.
579. Able to receive.
580. His.

Monday, 7 January 2013

561. Rice pudding.
562. No prayer is ever wasted or unheard.
563. Hoovers.
564. Teaching assistance telling me how happy they are to be telling my daughter off for the same reasons other children are being told off.
565. Watching her grow in confidence.
566. Seeing my older daughter smile repeatedly on realising she had another day at home and could choose her own music without interruption.
567. Daffodils.
568. A deep and restful peace.
569. Super squelchy deeply satisfyingly sticky mud.
570. Moppable floors.

Sunday, 6 January 2013

551. Mercies new every morning.
552. Unconditional love
553. An ever widening definition of family.
554. Guppies.
555. A church service which could have been prepared just entirely for me, after several weeks of "church lite" over the holidays
556. Strength for today and
557. Bright hope for tomorrow.
558. Proper level access after a week of bumping over raised lintels.
559. School tomorrow.
560. Interesting times.

Saturday, 5 January 2013

541. Safe journeys home.
542. Selective hearing, tuning out noises unrelated to my girls without even waking me to do it.
543. Meeting friends from far away.
544. Friendships which last beyond distances.
545. Bouncing boys.
546. The amazing variety of fish and other underwater creatures to be found in the average pet shop.
547. The endless entertainment afforded by doors and small sheds when you are either young or with children.
548. Vanilla slices.
549. My own wonderful bed in my own bedroom with all the comfortingly familiar noises of home.
550. Holiday landlords friendly and relaxed.
Tia

Wednesday, 2 January 2013

511. Supper cooked by a handsome junior masterchef.
512. Entertainment provided by said masterchef's guide dog.
513. Child amusement provided by the masterchef's sister.
514. Companionship provided by the chef's parents.
515. The opportunity to spend time in friend's now beautiful house, after a gap of too many years.
516. A handily situated adapted bath, and the chance to use it mid holiday. Even if we didn't, quite.
517. Spending time with a very precious friend in her own home, having helped to spring her from hospital.
518. Snuggles from a toddler deciding I was at least less scary than some of the less well-known friends around.
519. Rice pudding made with coconut milk.
520. Shiny wooden wipe-clean floors.